


Heaven Is An Hour Into The Stratosphere

by morisco



Category: Football RPF
Genre: M/M, i was having feelings, this is all fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-29
Updated: 2017-06-29
Packaged: 2018-11-21 04:25:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11349822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morisco/pseuds/morisco
Summary: Julian snapped that ankle like Joshua snaps his fingers in everyone's face





	Heaven Is An Hour Into The Stratosphere

They all got knocked around in games, the little guys more easily than stockier men like Boa. Men like Boa generally did the knocking. So it was fair to say they'd all had their fair share of knocking about, and Joshua was at the edge of his seat, in front of the TV at home, and it took only a split second to happen.

It was only when they replayed it showing him in all HD glory how Julian had tipped over like a China doll after getting his foot caught in the grass, that Joshua's blood ran just a little colder. He already knew all of this, how it had happened, how it had proceeded, but in the comfort of his own home, Joshua needed to watch this on his own.

Julian was on the ground, his face going from pure agony to an instant of realisation, as if he knew this was worse than just any knock. And then all Joshua could see on screen as he stood up on leaden legs to get a closer look, as if the TV covering a big chunk of the wall wasn't enough, and he needed to be closer was Julian's head was buried in his hands, tears streaming down his face as a fiery rage consumed Joshua. A stretcher being carried onto the pitch didn't help the skin over Joshua's knuckles as it turned bone white.

No one had slammed into Julian per se in that moment, but it didn't stop Joshua's palpable anger from being directed at the Augsburg men, and the men in yellow and black. How could they have been so careless with his fitness, running Julian on empty for matches at this point. Didn't they know any better!?

Joshua ran his fingers through his dry hair, not unlike how when he'd first been informed. 

 

The away locker room at the Redbull Arena had been a bundle of excited nerves as they'd all streamed in after a thrilling 4-5 win against their main competitors this season, title win be damned. Joshua had run to the showers quickly, his smaller frame making it easy for him to get around the other boys and he was out in record time.

The smile on his face couldn't possibly have been wiped off.

"...could blow their chance in the final." He heard an unshowered Mats utter to the captain, one arm on his chest, his hand tucked under the other as he stared at his phone. 

"Well, I hope he isn't hurt too badly. He's a good kid." Lahm said to a single nod from Mats.

Joshua made his way over to the two men, a smile still on his face 

"What's up?" He looked from one to the other.

"Weigl got injured today." Lahm walked away then with his shower gel in hand, leaving Mats to stare at Joshua, a gauging look in his eyes, waiting for a reaction. He'd thought that thing about the smile not being wiped off too soon.

"Oh" was all Joshua said before falling silent for a solid minute. Mats didn't move, and neither did he.

"There's no other news about it yet. No confirmations or anything but it looked nasty." Mats supplied, concern still clear as day on his face. He cared about his old teammates, and they had all made peace with that fact long ago. 

"Josh? I know you're friends with him. It'll be okay." Mats said, before thumping him on the back once.

That tone implied he knew they were more than just friends but Mats wasn't invasive. Mats wasn't Thomas. Now if Thomas had the slightest inkling about this... that would be a whole different ballpark. He'd seen Mario take the brunt of it and Reus and Mario weren't even a thing.

His hair was damp as he ran a hand through it and looked up at Mats,  
"Yeah, of course." 

He quickly walked to where his bag was, changing into fresh clothes. All the chatter and happiness seemed like dull white noise now as he tried to pull on his pants and text Julian at the same time.

 

They were in the bus when Thomas tapped him on the back of the head, but if you asked Joshua, it was more like a direct jostling of his brain inside his skull.

"I can't believe you're sitting down while we're doing the Macarena. What the fuck's so fucking important on your screen? Do you have a girlfriend? Wait, no one wants to date you though." Thomas made to grab for Joshua's phone and he locked his screen just in time before Thomas could take his phone away to stare at.

"Oh, come on! Give me your finger," Thomas tried to grab at his hand 

"Never thought I'd hear you say that, but can you not do this today?" Joshua said, trying to break Thomas's grip on his fist, his mood growing darker. There was still no reply.

As if mere words could stop the force of nature that was Thomas Mueller.

A few of their other teammates turned to look as well and laughed at their tactics, thinking it was their usual banter.

"Hey, lay off." Mats said from the other corner of their bus.

Thomas gave an incredulous look before narrowing his eyes "He's trying to stop me? You're trying to stop me Hummels? I will have you know Josh showed me the wart on his butt, I can't imagine how a girlfriend can be worse." He shouted for the entire bus to hear.

Joshua smiled up at him "Well I don't have a fucking girlfriend, and I'm telling you to let it go today."

"Whatever, loser." Thomas finally turned away after realising he wasn't about to get his way for once in his life.

 

All that seemed redundant in hindsight when Julian finally texted him back.

>Hurts worse than shitting a brick. They're patching it up though. <3

His dork of a boyfriend and his incessant need for accurate grammar was what Joshua lived for.

He let his head rest on the window, lowering his cap over his head as he dialled Julian's number.

"Hi"

"Hi. How are you holding up?" Joshua said, his voice much lower than Julian was used to. It made Julian smile.

"I'm high on the pain meds. Bartra offered to hold my hand when I was getting my cast. And he totally meant business " Julian laughed, but Joshua heard the little wince.

A sigh of longing left him. If he were there, there would be no offering. Joshua would literally cuddle him through the entire thing, and coddle him after.

"It's okay. We're good." Julian said, reassuring him.

"Its not okay. Your dietitian is shit!" He wanted to scream it out loud but was forced to angry whisper instead. He looked around for Thomas, and turned back into his old position when their favourite troublemaker was spotted at the back of the bus, sitting next to one of the newbies who looked scared to death.

"Everyone gets injured. You know that." Julian spoke, more somber than before. Joshua could hear voices in the background. "I'll Skype you when I get home?"

"I can stay with you on the phone?" Joshua asked. He was suddenly feeling wistful about being unable to be with the one person that mattered the most to him, and the one person that needed him most in that moment.

Maybe Joshua needed Julian more, but it was easier to focus on the the former.

"It's okay sunny. I know you're with your teammates."

"Yeah. Okay. Call me the second you're home though." 

Joshua sent a message as soon as they were off the phone with each other.

>> i love u

> Love you too.

*

 

He was up too early, but the dull throb in his leg didn't seem to want to go away. 

Which was the only reason he was sat on the couch digging into cereal at 8am watching cartoons when the front door was nudged open and Joshua sneaked in like a burglar. 

His breath caught as Joshua saw Julian with his leg propped up on the coffee table.   
He dropped his bags in the hallway, and covered the distance to a beaming Julian in 4 steps that bordered on skipping.

Hugging Joshua tight to himself, Julian held on to the back of his hoodie, pulling back to give him a kiss on the lips before placing his head into the crook of Joshua's neck again, his body angled awkwardly to the side as they slid back against the sofa.

This warm, fuzzy feeling was taking over his entire body and it was going to suffocate him but Julian would die a happy man in that moment.

"You wanna let go now?" Joshua asked, a smile evident in his voice

Julian placed fluttering kisses along his neck, humming.

"Nevermind, I didn't say that." Joshua's hold tightened as he scooted closer to get them more comfortable.

"I thought mom was coming in to check on me again. I only managed to push her out past midnight yesterday."

"My boyfriend is an ungrateful fragile mess."

Julian frowned at that "I'm not fragile"

"Jules, would you cry if I twisted your finger right now?" He said, referring to something he'd once done back when they played for the under 19s

"Hey, that shit hurts okay." 

"I'm kidding," Joshua said, placing an affectionate kiss in his hair, "You're big and strong. Very manly."

"That's right baby. Say it like it is." Julian said, his eyes closing, heart content.

They stayed like that, stealing kisses, nipping at each other and cuddling on the couch as they floated the line between wakefulness and sleep, sharing little bits that didn't matter, but mattered the most.

"Does the club know you're here?"

"They know I'm not in Munich."

"Josh?"

"I told them I was visiting my family. Technically true. Significant others are family."

"Significant other" another kiss.

"Mhm. You hungry?"

Julian nodded.

"I'll make us something."

"Don't be gone too long."

Joshua moved around the kitchen, banging pots and chopping and whatnot, making Julian ask a few times if everything was alright, followed by a nervous laugh.

"When did you get this good at cooking Josh!?" Julian practically moaned into his food.

"Mum making me weekly meals was becoming embarrassing and I'm not at the level where I can hire a personal chef."

"I love you. I can't believe my man is a professional chef."

Joshua could have combusted from the sheer happiness he felt being with this boy, hearing him say he loved him, seeing him smile no matter what life threw his way and tasting him after months but knowing that's exactly what home was.

"I love you too." 

"I have an appointment. Had."

"What!? When?"

Julian checked the time on his phone "uh.. about two hours ago. Yeah, two hours and thirteen minutes." He smiled his boyfriend, who looked back with his eyes narrowed

"Are you for fucking real Julian, you broke your leg yesterday! You can't be missing appointments!"

"Yeah.. uh, mum's on her way over cause the doctor called her? Heh"

Joshua tapped the side of his head in disapproval before getting off the couch. 

"C'mon. You can't go like that. Your mom's gonna think I'm a mess and then she won't approve." 

"Aw, look at you fretting about approval. Its okay she's never approved of anyone I've dated."

Joshua sucked in a big breath of air before letting it out.

"I'm only kidding, jeez. Calm down, it'll be okay." Julian had the biggest shit eating grin on his face as he looked up at Josh from his lounging position.

"You should carry me in with you Josh. I'm immobile." Joshua heard his idiotic boyfriend's voice trail as he entered the master bedroom to grab some fresh clothes and hot towels.

He returned to the living room, quickly helping Julian out of his shirt and sweats, giving him a towel to work on his top while Joshua did his leg

"Josh you're so romantic. I mean, undressing me in the AM, treating my body like a temple? Getting frisky with hot towels and a foot fetis-" 

"You'd best shut up if you don't want a broken nose to match the leg. I'm still mad at you for not telling me about the appointment." 

Julian was clean and dressed just in time for mommy Weigl's arrival. 

"Joshua! I didn't know you were coming."

"I didn't either." Joshua smiled as he let her hug him. They'd met before, and mommy Weigl did, in fact approve of him.

"Explains why he conveniently forgot about his appointment." She pointed at Julian who was now up on crutches.

"I specifically asked him if he had anything scheduled or needed any medication, which thankfully he did take, but I asked him. And he ignored telling me."

Julian looked at them as they both judged him and shook their heads in unison.

"I'm sorry, look I'm walking now, aren't I?" 

"Joshua, do you want to come with?" mommy Weigl asked, but they already knew the answer.

Julian stopped on his way out, giving Joshua a deep kiss, his hand fitting the curve of Joshua's cheek "thank you for being here. I know it's not easy, but I really appreciate it."

This led to more kissing before Joshua broke off, "Your mom's waiting in the car. Go." 

He watched the love of his life limp off, his heartbeat still fast from the little makeout session.

In the three hours that it took Julian to go through club doctors, hospital doctors and different machines, Joshua had managed to clean, cook dinner and take a shower. 

Julian's face when he saw the renewed state of his living room was exactly what Joshua dreaded most

"D'aww did you just clean up here? I take back my words, you're not a professional chef, you're a domestic goddess. My domestic goddess."

"God I fucking hate you sometimes, Jules. Like, for real." He walked over to to the idiot in a cast anyway, kissing his smile away, and failed to notice the man in the doorway.

"Well I'll be damned. Can I get a video for the team?" Joshua's heart skipped a beat as Erik walked in.

Julian put his arm around Joshua, and letting his  left crutch loose, "Oh I forgot to tell you Josh, Durm drove me back here."

"Your entire team knows?" Joshua asked sharply.

"Uh, no? Just him."

"That's right. My silence only costs eight thousand dollars a month hotshot."

Joshua looked from Julian to Erik,

"Relax, he's still the idiot Mats won't lay off of on international duty." Julian said by way of comfort.

Joshua ignored him, "did you tell Mats?"

"No. But Mats isn't dumb. He like, the original Sherlock before I overthrew him. I suppose he knows some things." He sipped at his pink frappe, leaning against the doorframe, looking at them with his sunglasses lowered on his straight nose.

"Erik, sweetie thanks for the ride. But can you leave now? I want alone time with my boyfriend."

"Julian!" Joshua and Erik said simultaneously

"Don't be rude, invite him for dinner."

"Oh no, I don't want dinner, I have a date. I'm just offended he won't let me stay and investigate your relationship is all."

"Durmster get out. Now. I'm about to go down on him."

"Ugh gross. Gross, Julian!" He said, finally leaving the two alone and closing the door behind him.

Julian laughed, but the serious look on Joshua's face stopped him, "hey, he won't tell anyone. He can act like a total douchebag but he's a good friend."

Julian returned to the couch they'd spent the good part of their morning on because his cast was heavy and he was feeling drained suddenly.

"Its not that. Its just, you didn't even tell me that you wanted to let Erik know about us." Joshua swallowed. Opening up wasn't easy for him, but they'd had far too many baseless fights because of said unease that he didn't want to risk it again.

"Come here." Julian waved him over, making him sit on the couch, legs crossed under him. Julian's thumb made little circles over the back of his hand "he saw me skyping you a week ago. And I didn't know how to tell you. And he literally sat through all my tests today insisting that he'd keep his mouth shut if he got to see you here. I didn't even tell him you were here." 

"You mean he won't keep his mouth shut?"

Julian kissed him again, addling whatever senses had been previously left unperturbed "He wouldn't even dare. I've got much much worse on him."

Joshua sighed, "fine. I made pasta for dinner."

"I'm in love with the only worthy man in Germany." They kissed again, "before pasta though, I'm kind of hungry for you."

"You have a one day old cast on your leg." Joshua moaned, as Julian's hands slid under his shirt, spreading across his abdomen. "Please don't test me."

"Okay, but how many times do you visit me mid season? Twice? And you're telling me I can't even bang you." Julian spoke as his lips still trailed Joshua's neck.

"I'm not telling you shit. The doctor is though." Joshua pulled back, "okay puppy, enough. We can't have you straining anything else."

"I have a broken leg. I'm not comatose..." his hand slid over Joshua's bulge.

"Julian!" His name was dragged out and raggedy, and it chimed like music in Julian's ears. "I'm trying to be a good boyfriend here." 

"You're the bestest boyfriend if you let me give you a handjob."

*

"Josh?"

"Hm?"

They were in bed, enveloped in the darkness save for the little light streaming in through the blinds. Joshua's back was against Julian's chest, one arm wrapped around the older boy, the other sifting through his dusty blonde hair.

"When you get called up for the Confeds cup, will you miss me?"

"There's a chance I won't get called up either, and we'll both be holidaying together the entire time."

"There's no way they'd leave you behind. You're like, magical. How can they ever leave you behind."

"Well, if I do get called up, I'm winning it for you."

"I'm gonna miss the Pokal final. Will it be my win too if they win?"

"You're the reason they're in that final and if you ever doubt that for a single second, you need your head looked at. How can you say I'm magical and ignore how good you are?" Joshua kissed his hand.

"Mhm. Hey, I love you." 

"I love you too."


End file.
